The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Slow Down Lefferts

13 comments:

Wish I could go to this, but can't, so maybe Tim can take note of this:

The new light timing at the problematic Ocean/Parkside intersection has definitely made it safer for pedestrians. Unfortunately, it has also tremendously slowed the south-bound traffic on Ocean. Cars now regularly back up all the way to Lincoln road, which encourages light-running by cars on Ocean at the two mid-block lights (by Imagination playground and by the drum circle).

I don't think the lights at Parkside should be changed, as pedestrian safety is paramount. But it'd be swell if the 71st could crack down on the rampant light running that the new situation has fostered. Those two mid-block lights are used by lots and lots of children.

Yikes that's a hilariously terrible idea (you're joking, I assume). I think the current light timing is fine - who cares if cars are delayed (and I'm a driver too). I just want the cops to ticket light runners.

As a daily driver in PLG I know that it is difficult and dangerous to drive here. One of the most troubling features, that I would love someone to remedy, are pedestrians who apparently believe that they are superior beings who don't need to watch out as they cross against the light in the middle of the block. I see far more of these situations than speeding cars. For much of the day traffic barely reaches 25 mph, and only for brief spurts before crawling once more. But stop and go is far more dangerous when pedestrians jump in front of your car just as your foot hits the gas pedal.

Stop and go traffic doesn't kill people. Every instance I've ever heard involves cars careening out of control, massive acceleration, DUI's and, yes, speeding. I'd agree that there's too much crazy pedestrian behavior - go to other major cities and you'll see that jaywalking is largely non-existent. We could all use a bit more common sense.

I honestly don't think that speeding is the most crucial issue, though it would be nice if cars would stay below the limit. No, it's running red lights and reckless driving, plus poorly designed intersections. All of those things, in turn, only aggravate the already chaotic pedestrian landscape.

You can't blame one against the others. You can only try to lessen the impact of each.

Stats for traffic violations in our district are available online. As of February, there were 170 tickets written for operating without a license. That's insane. There's also been a huge increase in dollar vans, mostly unlicensed by T&LC, and for reasons I'm unaware of they're suddenly using much larger vehicles - some that look like they can carry 30 people or so. They tie up traffic, drive dangerously, and increase noise by honking incessantly. Based on the meager info on T&LC's website, I'm pretty sure that some of the licensed vans are operating outside of their permitted area - some of the companies I see frequently do not have licenses for Flatbush, such as Callavan. That said the latest info I can get is from 2014 and T&LC doesn't respond to email.

Love them or hate then, the reckless vans cause crashes and now their new huge busses reduce visibility and take up more lane space.

None of the above, speeding, running lights, jaywalking, dollar vans are the biggest killer of pedestrians. Vehicles turning into crosswalks recklessly is the number one way pedestrians die. They are failing to yield and they aren't being charged with anything though they broke the law. So enough with the rants against jaywalking. The new York times actually said based on these stats you're safer to jaywalk in nyc! That's how reckless drivers are making turns.